The Contractor Archives: BK-201
by StreakingHerculobus
Summary: Chronicles the ascent of our favorite messier code from Bai to Hei. How do the two siblings cope, being turned into child soldiers? Includes the war over Heaven's Gate in South America. Hei x Amber, Hei x Havoc. Rated T for blood and violence, no cussing or lemons, clean story, action genre
1. PreSouthAmerica

**I don't own Darker than Black or the characters.**

"Night Falls"

Prelude

A boy of eight or nine huddled in the corner, sister in arm. They possessed a remarkable resemblance: dark hair, equal heights, and blue eyes (though the younger sibling's were considerably brighter than her brother's dull orbs). Inseparable since she first entered the world, the two were constantly doted on; acquaintances of their parents would comment on how well they behaved and if presented with the chance, marvel at their talents.

Zhen Shang, the father, worked as a real estate agent, handling the priciest of properties. He would come home to his wife, who had just finished with her online business, and begin dinner preparations. Their son would watch while the other child seemed more interested in knowing about daddy's day. Then the family would share a fantastic meal, engaging in lively conversation, overall the kind of relationship imagined only on sixties' sitcoms.

Unfortunately, on the night September 15, 2017, gunshots blasted through their elegant home, automatically killing their mother, which the kids inadvertently witnessed. Their father rushed them into the hallway, and up the stairs where he locked them in the guest bedroom. The children didn't see him retrieve the semi-automatic from the master bathroom, and creep to the first floor to face the attackers.

"Li, why did Mom not get up?" his sister cried. The sight of her flowing tears threatened to burst the dam behind his own eyes.

"Shh. We have to be quiet, Xing." What sounded like a spray of bullets reverberated throughout the house. After several more moments, the shooting finally stopped and was replaced with complete silence. Guessing the fate of his father, yet denying it nonetheless, Li searched for an escape route. He tried the window, but it wouldn't budge.

"Li, do you know what happened to Daddy?"

He sunk down to his knees, and buried his face into his hands. He had to be strong for his sister, but this was overwhelming. Why? What had they ever done to deserve this?

Footsteps could be heard just outside the door, prompting Xing to tackle her brother with so much force they tumbled across the floor. Li looked up in time to see the knob jimmied off, and a large boot clear the entrance. In walked three men armed with uzi's who then began to search the place thoroughly, disregarding the two intertwined children. Finally, the men reformed into formation in time for a shorter man in business attire to enter the room. He glanced at the tiny inhabitants, and retreated back into the hallway. "Bring them."

Frantic, Li struggled with all his might, as he and Xing were picked off the floor and hustled to a van, where undoubtedly their new lives would begin.

September 18, 2017: 03:00 PM

His head bumped against a hard surface, jarring him awake. Li sat up and squinted in the darkness. The room was pitch black, and the air was stale. The ground beneath him rose and then gave way in an repetitive up and down motion. Fearing for his sister, Li crawled on the floor feeling every nook and cranny. He determined three partitions and along the fourth, he found her. Already awake, she leaned against the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Li?" she groaned. Her head rolled to the side.

"Yes, I'm here. I am so glad you are alright. Are you hurt?" Li scooched beside her and placed his hand on hers. He let go a big breath, thankful they were together. With the recent events, he marveled at their fortitude. The grief was replaced with a sort of daze; nothing seemed real, like they were in a dream, and soon they would wake up to the reality of their home and the reassuring presence of their parents.

"Li, I feel sick."

The next thing he heard was heaving, and something splashed his bare shin. Startled, Li stood up too fast, bumping his head, which in turn, sent him straight back down. Rubbing the sore spot, he asked her, "Did you throw up?" He repulsed the idea of wiping his leg to confirm his suspicion.

"Maybe."

Annoyed Li placed a hand on his forehead. "At least we are alive." He reviewed what he found out so far about their surroundings. He gathered they were indeed in a confined space, quite small, and judging from his sister's nausea and the rocking motion, they were on a ship traveling over the ocean.

A particularly large swell precipitated another hurl and this time only his shoes were hit. Li silently prayed that Xing would get feeling better, but in the middle of his appeal, the same person interrupted him. "Brother, I have to go to the bathroom."

Luckily, he didn't have to reply, because banging noises could be heard outside the box. Light poured in, as the wall creaked off. The men who abducted them waited on the other side with hammers in hand. Xing didn't notice them, too engrossed in her seasickness, but Li, adjusting to the sudden brightness, anxiously absorbed the new sights.

One of the men pointed at the mess and chided the other. "Look, there's puke all over the place. Did you bother to think about what would happen when this is their first time on a boat? I work with bunch of idiots."

"Its not my fault they couldn't keep their lunch to themselves. They're five years old. What do you expect?"

The boss man from earlier entered into view. "Enough. Clean it up and let them take care of business. After that give them some food and meet me on deck. I'll be waiting." He left, as the men began to complain about the unusual assignment.

"We're mercenaries! Why are reduced to babysitting a couple of kids? We should be taking care of enemies and lighting offices on fire, stealing important documents and blackmailing businessmen.

"Shut up and do what you are told. There's more to being a mercenary than killing." Reaching for Li's hand, he addressed the children. "You can call me Butch, and this here Raddler. C'mon, it's time to get washed up. We successfully smuggled you on board."

Li gazed at the sunrise, resting his chin on the rail. Meanwhile Xing tried to focus on anything but the constant influx of waves sweeping the ship back and forth. Sitting down Indian-style, she commented, "I'm so glad to be out of that wooden crate. It smelled terrible down there."

Li agreed. "I am surprised they let us out at all, but I guess there's no need to worry about us escaping in the middle of the ocean."

"The food tasted funny," she said, rubbing her belly. "Next time I am going to ask for macaroni with lots of extra cheese. And cereal bars, not the crunchy kid, but with the kind with the yogurt in the middle. I wonder if they have those here."

"Do you pay attention to anything I say? Seriously, it feels like I'm talking to the nickelodeon channel." She always annoyed him this way. It was kind of cute, actually, but sometimes she was too frivolous.

She stuck out her tongue. "Maybe you don't have anything interesting to say?" She picked up a metallic pebble and slung it as far as she could into the ocean. They didn't see it land or hear it plop.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize our survival wasn't important." He shook his head. Their situation was graver than she wanted to imagine. Going to the crew for help did not seem like much of an option, considering they looked just as rough, if not rougher than the kidnappers. He'd have to wait until they docked to make a move.

"Hey kid." The leader was puffing on a cigar a few feet away. "How do you like the view?" He was dressed less casually, and a pistol was visible on his hip.

Suppressing a loud verbal assault, Li steeled himself toward the horizon. "You murdered my parents."

"Hmph. They had what was coming to them. Just be glad we don't punish you for your father's disobedience."

Li faced him. "My dad was a good man!" He clenched his fists, very tempted to swing, but the repercussions were too great. "How could you say that? And even if he was, you're no better. I bet you're just a junky hired to kill at someone's discretion. No one to care for because you are too busy protecting your own hide."

The man smirked. "You don't know how right you are." His tone grew softer, and he seemed to recall a part of his distant past. "Everyone at some point ends up alone, and most of the time, there's nothing you can do about it." He tossed his cigar into the water. "My name's Huang by the way."

"I'll write it down in my day planner."

Huang laughed. "I think I could get used to you. Now collect your sister. We're almost there."

September 19, 2017: 8:00 AM

To Li's disappointment, he never received an opportunity to dash, for the moment they stepped off the boat, he and his sister were promptly manhandled into a van. From there they drove for an hour or so, pulling to a stop frequently. He couldn't tell exactly where they were going, but he knew they were in Hong Kong someplace, most likely in the heart of the city. His sister hugged tightly onto his arm, casting wary glances at their kidnappers. To a certain extent Li was worried as well, but he realized if they were going to be killed, they would have been dead by now. However, he realized there were worse things than death out there.

Finally they pulled to a permanent stop, where they were escorted outside and into a building. They went into a side door with no spectators, probably the usual entrance when any shady business was being conducted. The interior was industrial with little concern for aesthetics. They hopped into an elevator, and after a tense ride up, arrived at the highest floor. The doors swished open and revealed a plush living space, much improved than what the siblings had seen so far. Huang led the way, with Butch and Raddler keeping a close eye on the kids. His sister stared in wonder at the various futuristic devices along with the contemporary furniture. The designer obviously aimed for an ocean theme; the walls were decorated with underwater photos, beach paintings, coral and seashells.

They slowed down before a double door, which swung open into the largest room yet. Their breaths were taken away when the entire city stretched out in front of them. The sleek skyscrapers reached for the clouds and formed a boxy horizon.

"How do you like the penthouse?" a commanding voice shook them from their gazing. To their left situated on a blue couch, a round man sipped from a cup of wine. "I don't mind it myself, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion." He placed down his drink, and beckoned them over with his hand. "Come now, do either of you speak? Don't tell me we abducted two mutes."

Li was frozen. If he tried to respond, he doubted it would be decipherable. His sister merely clung to his side, never looking up from the ground. Haung nudged them. "Listen, I would advise you to say something, or you may end up joining your parents after all."

"Come now, Huang. I didn't hear what you said, but it probably wasn't pleasant. Sometimes people take a while to warm up. Why don't you go get our two guests Capri-suns?"

Huang nodded, and left the room. Li watched him go and turned back to the new man.

"Would you like a seat? These cushions are absolutely amazing. You have to try them."

Li analyzed the situation. Deep in enemy territory, it would be best to comply at first, and try to ascertain their intentions before doing something hasty. He smiled, and led his sister over.

"Yes you'll do nicely. What are your names?"

Hesitantly, Li spoke. "My name is Li Shang, and this is Xing." His sister nodded.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Zhisu Tang, and I own River Enterprises, this building we are in. I understand your tragic background, and I truly am sorry. However, your destinies has led you down another path. I hope one day you can see past the terrible circumstances which brought you here, and look up to me as a mentor, someone who provided you with a life so many people dream of. As you can tell, I happen to be a successful businessman, and if you accept, you will be living a life of luxury. That's not to say, I won't expect anything from you."

Huang reentered the room, juice pouches in hand. He gave them to the kids and sat on the couch with them. "How do they look?"

"They're perfect. No one will doubt the resemblance, and they are already accustomed to manners and know how to conduct themselves. I must commend you."

"Just doing my job."

"Well," Tang said, turning to the children. "This is the ugly part. In exchange for this life of amenities, not to mention opportunities, I require of you small favors from time to time. There are people out there who cannot be bought unfortunately, either because they already have money, or they possess scrupulous morals. This people need to be removed from the equation, if you know what I mean. You two will be able to help in this regard. Posing as my harbored children, who just came to light, you will discreetly carry out certain duties at parties and events. No suspicion will fall upon you, two innocent children, and I will always possess a solid alibi."

Xing didn't know what he was referring to, but Li understood all too well. They wanted him and his sister to become killers, just like those who took their parents away from him. "No way! You're crazy if you think we would agree to this."

Tang didn't bat an eyebrow. "I can have Huang take you downstairs."

Li slouched in his seat. He couldn't let them die, not yet, so he only had one choice. "Fine."

"I knew you would see it my way. Cheer up! Like I said, a world of opportunity awaits you."

**Bonus Oneshot: **

Out to Dry: _what if Hei was finally apprehended?_

The man was roughly pushed up against the wall, the Black Reaper's forearm across his throat. The syndicate member peered into the demented eyes which held a combination of anger and emptiness. He panicked when the contractor removed his signature weapon from inside the bullet-proof coat. The serrated knife promised an agonizing death at the hands of the most successful assassin the world had to offer. Two homeless men walking past immediately picked up their pace, as the masked figure continually kneed the overweight executive in the gut.

Reeling over, the man pleaded, "Please, you don't want to do this. Ask anything; you'll be compensated. Money, immunity, transport, whatever you want."

"I want you dead." To emphasize the point, the knife gashed the man's face, eliciting a cry of pain and knocking him over.

"Now where can I find others?" Hei demanded, as he squatted down to the man's level.

"I don't know. We separated after the... um, event. I couldn't tell you."

"All I need are names. Give me something or die."

The man shook his head. "They will kill me as well. What we did was completely unsanctioned."

"Tsk. Will the syndicate target your family like I will? I read about them in a file. I have even been to your house. Shall I tell you how it will go down? First, the power will go out. Then—"

"Alright. Heimler, Akatsuka, and Jayne. Those are the only ones I worked with, okay. I never met any of the higher-ups."

Content with the answer, Hei examined the tip of his knife. "I believe you." In the background the man gave a sigh of relief. "I still cannot permit you to live."

The man scrambled in comprehension, but didn't make it far before he was once again shoved against the wall. "Time to pay for your sins against humanity and contractors."

"Freeze, BK-201," a female voice ordered from behind. "Let the man go."

Hei tilted his head to see Officer Kirihara aiming a gun for his head. "Stay out of this!" he snarled.

Misaki cautiously circled him, making sure to stay out of the knife's range. "Put your hands up; don't do anything which could make me pull the trigger." Misaki forced all misgivings out of her mind and focused on apprehending the dangerous criminal whom she knew as college student Li Shengshun. Since the incident at the gate, he had gone on a killing spree, the motive unknown.

During the chaos Misaki had ignored the voices in her head which said that that's all he ever was, an assassin with a very clever cover. Somewhere deep inside she wished Li to be real, the little remaining decency within the lethal contractor.

Nonetheless Hei disregarded her and prepared to finish the job.

"BK-201, I warning you."

The knife edged forward.

"Li, please. Don't make me shoot you."

In a flash, the knife sunk in, and Hei spun around. He deflected the first bullet with his arm, and before the second got off, he managed to grasp Misaki by the throat. With the other hand he wrestled the gun from her.

Staring into that mask's murderous expression she wondered if she was really going to die. The grip tightened, as BK-201 took a closer look, almost nose to nose. At this rate, she thought, my neck will break before I ever asphyxiate.

However, a shot rang out, and Hei unceremoniously crumbled to the ground. Shocked, Misaki glanced around searching for the shooter, but whoever took BK-201 out was well hidden. Then she remembered the rare opportunity before her. A wounded Black Reaper, the kind of catch which could cement her position within the force. _Great, now to follow through._

Hei had felt the bullet, before he ever heard the shot. He was so focused on Misaki, particularly whether he should kill her or not, he forgot to secure his position and apparently she brought back-up. To make matters worse the bullet was lodged exactly where Huang had shot him a couple months ago. Nonetheless, he attempted to stand, but immediately fell back down. His left leg was useless. _What to do now? _

_"_Oh no, you don't," Misaki rasped. Her hand flew to her throat and massaged the soreness. Evidently, he had inflicted a certain degree of damage. _Hopefully it's not permanent_.

Misaki reached down to secure the target, but hesitated when she noticed the familiar blue aura. Reminding herself that she wore rubber gloves, she quickly retrieved the insulated cuffs from her pocket and moved to place them on his wrist. He resisted at first, but the injury proved too much and she managed to restrain him. Dialing headquarters, she whispered, "We've finally caught you, Black Reaper."

Hei knew he should only be thinking of escape, but the reality of his situation crashed down. There was no syndicate to bail him out and no team to back him up. Slumped on the sidewalk, he last saw a police car pull up, and a big burly man step out.

**Thnks 4 Reading.**


	2. Season One

**I don't own Darker Than Black or the characters.**

"A Sickle in the Field"

July 5, 2028: 9:00 AM

Hei walked past a doughnut shop, smiling sweetly at anyone who came too close. Some might have thought it kind of creepy, but he found that less people tended to stop and talk with him. Women especially, either in the malls or at the local diners, had a habit of crossing his path. Usually at that point in time he would assume his most macabre expression in the hopes of repelling them. Their faces were always priceless, as they stuttered an apology and scurried off.

However, his ploys had failed to shake his current pursuer who had been following him since Forty-fifths Street. He did not seem to be a professional considering the short distance he maintained, nor did he seem overly suspicious. Still, he had some sort of agenda, most likely an unhealthy one, so Hei decided he would take care of it at the next alley.

Cutting the corner he flattened his back against the wall and waited for the man to make the turn as well. His right hand itched towards the knife tucked underneath his shirt, as he suspected the delay stretched on too long. With a start he realized the pursuer most likely planned his own ambush, and the hunch was confirmed when a person zoomed down from the (sky?) on top of him. Rolling on the ground each of them struggled to gain the upper hand. The other contractor, quite skilled at grappling, momentarily wrestled himself on top, where he drew a pistol, but Hei slashed the offending arm. "An attempt in broad daylight, are you mad?" Hei snarled, as he wrenched the gun away. People were beginning to crowd around the exit of the alley. A woman was on her cell phone calling the police, while a few brave ones were debating whether to interfere.

"Exactly. How suspicious would it be if I was suddenly electrocuted to death in front of all these witnesses? Certain authorities would see the situation for what it was and come down hard on you BK-201."

"But you'll go to prison!"

"I have contacts. Plus I can climb up walls."

Hei attempted to make another slash, but the man caught it before making contact. He slowly twisted the knife from Hei's hand, and lifted it in the air. "This is the end for you!"

Hei averted his face and threw his hands up defensively. Fortunately, just before the man could deal the final blow, he was tackled by three policeman. While the cops apprehended the subject, Hei rolled over and with his fingernail discreetly carved a cut across his abdomen drawing copious amounts of blood. By the time the medics arrived he had already sucked the finger clean.

"Are you alright, son?"

Hei nodded dumbly, and allowed them to load him on a gurney which transported him to the ambulance. Nurses assessed the damage, and applied the proper cleaning and bandages. "He's going to need stitches," one said.

The surgeon nodded. "True, but for right now just focus on the bleeding."

"Mind if I ride with you?" A brunette in professional dress with her badge displayed stood at the open doors of the ambulance. In Hei's opinion she seemed very up tight, a no-nonsense get-to-business kind of person. Most likely a workaholic, he thought.

"He's not in critical condition, so I see no reason why not," the head doctor shrugged.

She stepped up and sat on the opposite side. "Thanks. My name is Misaki Kirihara, chief detective, Hong Kong Section 4."

"Nice to meet you, Miss. I'm Dr. Roberts, and this is uh..." He trailed off, as he realized he did not know his patient's name.

"Li," Hei supplied. "Li Shengshun."

Misaki "You are not a suspect, so no pressure. I just want to ask a few questions about the man who attacked you."

Hei recalled from his mission report that Section 4 specialized in investigations into contractors. Wary beneath the "Li" facade, he shrugged. "Sure."

"Did you notice anything strange or unusual about him? I'll believe you no matter what, so don't worry about sounding crazy."

"Now that you mention it, he did drop down on me from above. I don't know how though."

"Do you know why he attacked you?"

"I have no clue. I never saw the man before."

Misaki nodded. Contractors did not attack people for no reason. They were rational beings, so he must have had some motivation. However, Li Shengshun didn't look like the type to be mixed up in dirty business. "Have you always lived in Japan?"

"Actually, I just got here. I'm a transfer student from China."

July 5, 2028: 7:00 PM

The playground was quaint. Children were nowhere to be seen, which was strange for a warm Saturday, but the spooky old man leaning on the slide might have something to do it. He was enjoying a cigar, not paying attention to much going on around him. A cat with a red collar lounged beside his feet, soaking up the sun. It roused from slumber and began to lick its paws. Sitting in a swing, a teenage girl dressed in a purple and black dress looked blankly ahead. To tell the truth they looked like a bunch of misfits, but Hei shrugged, knowing all contractors were.

Deciding to be direct, Hei approached the man who could be mistaken for a child predator. Going for it, Hei said offhandedly, "An autumn moon gives way to the winter sun,"

"And the day makes room for a lonely one," the man replied. "You're BK-201?"

"I am."

"You're late."

"I was detained."

"I know. The syndicate is upset. They said if it weren't for your acting skills, you wouldn't be here right now."

Hei signaled to the girl. "Is she part of the team?"

The man calmed down and nodded. "She's the doll, codename Yin. Below us lies Mal, the other contractor. He'll be part of reconnaissance as well." He stressed the next part. "I'm Huang, your boss."

"My back-up is a feline?"

A masculine voice at their feet joined the conversation. "I take offense to that. Anyways, nice to meet you. I hope this won't be too much of an shock. It shouldn't. Yin took it remarkably well. Never batted an eyelid."

"So it talks."

"Please I am a he, and this isn't a circus. Let's move on to other matters shall we? Like I hear you're some sort of superman, the real deal. Is any of this true? What is your power by the way? Or better yet, what is the price? I have heard some strange ones to be sure."

"Um, I can electrocute people, and you could say I've been marginally successful."

"Interesting," the cat hummed. Mal swatted a flea from his ear. "And the price?"

Huang studied the young man before him. He seemed familiar. If he could just get past the long hair and hardened stare, he might recognize him. Suddenly his face lit up. "Li!"

Hei furrowed his eyebrows. "What did you say?"

Huang shook his head. "You don't remember? You had a sister named-"

"How do you know about my sister?" Hei asked testily.

Hei was about to continue but realized the futility. "It's nothing." Of course he didn't remember. That's what ME was for. "I lost a son, and you happen to look like him, that's all."

Hei brushed it off. Humans were always suffering from hallucinations.

**Bonus Oneshot**

Pretending. _what exactly did Hei feel when Havoc perished?_

Thump. Thump. Thump. Spears of ice impaled her chest cavity, narrowly missing her heart. Regardless, she didn't have much time. The blood started to trickle down her body, as Hei cradled her weakened form. She hung limply in his arms, barely registering the fact she was going to die.

"Hei, you changed. Never forget that," she whispered. Her punctured lungs finally failed and her breathing stopped.

Hei watched on helplessly, as the life drained from her eyes. "Havoc," he muttered. He gave one last hug, and gently placed her on the ground. Contractors weren't given funerals. It served no purpose. When dead, contractors lost all value. They were just assets. When they could no longer fulfill their duty, they were disposed of.

Hei turned his attention to the MI-6 agents likely just around the corner. He wanted to tear them to pieces, the cocky English one especially. His smug smile and clever way of speech only served to get on Hei's nerves.

But contractors do not experience emotions. Contractors do not form attachments. Contractors do not seek revenge. They are only interested in their own survival. They are certainly never interested in going out of their way to avenge an acquaintance.

Yet Havoc wasn't an acquaintance. Despite their past sins and conflicts, they were once partners. And today they had renewed that partnership, only to have it wrenched away.

Hei wondered why he was obsessing so much over Havoc. Was it attraction? No. Was it company?

Yes. He was lonely. She was the last thing besides Amber from his past. They shared something in common.

Loneliness. Contractors shouldn't feel that too. Hei bowed his head. Too much thinking, too many conflicted feelings. He would place them aside for now, and focus on covering his tracks.

He placed on the mask and prepared to confront November. The world wasn't as black and white as he originally thought it was, but he would go on pretending it was.

**Thnks 4 Reading.**


End file.
